Labor to target Peter Dutton, Chris Crewther over Section 44

Bill Shorten will target Liberal MPs Peter Dutton and Chris Crewther over their eligibility to sit in parliament in the year’s last sitting fortnight.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has been under scrutiny since August over investments he made in a family childcare business. Picture: Getty Images

Bill Shorten will target Liberal MPs Peter Dutton and Chris Crewther over their eligibility to sit in parliament in the year’s last sitting fortnight.

The Opposition Leader confirmed this morning he will push to have both MPs referred to the High Court over alleged breaches of Section 44. The Home Affairs Minister and Mr Crewther has faced questions about investment they have made in companies which receive government money.

Chris Crewther.

“I think the parliament needs to see what we can do about that matter rather than the government running a protection racket for people with clouds over their constitutional eligibility,” Mr Shorten told reporters in Melbourne.

Both Liberal MPs have said they have legal advice which states they have not breached Section 44.

Mr Dutton has been under scrutiny since August over investments he made in a family childcare business.

Mr Crewther invested in a local Victorian pharmaceutical company which benefited from a government-linked grant.

With the Coalition in minority government, Labor could send Mr Dutton and Mr Crewther to the High Court if it convinces all six crossbench MPs to back a referral.

Independent MP Bob Katter, who has clinched a $234 million deal with Scott Morrison in exchange for his vote in the House of Representatives, has said he was inclined to reject the referrals.

Constitutional experts have questioned whether Mr Crewther has any case to answer, as the company in question received the grant money through the University of Melbourne and received no direct funds from the Commonwealth.